Jeremy Corbyn called an 'anti-Semite and a racist' by former Labour minister

'Jeremy Corbyn was called an “anti-Semite and a racist” by a veteran Labour MP last night as the party was plunged into a fresh anti-Semitism row.

Margaret Hodge, a well respected Jewish MP and former minister, subjected the Labour leader to an expletive ridden rant in Parliament following the party’s decision to reject an internationally recognised definition of anti-Semitism.

In an extraordinary tirade, Ms Hodge vented her fury over the decision by Labour’s national executive committee to flout the advice of Jewish MPs, leaders and the Chief Rabbi, all of whom had urged the party to reconsider its new code of conduct.

Ms Hodge told Mr Corbyn: “You have proved you don’t want people like me in the party.”

Mr Corbyn is believed to have responded flatly, telling her: “I’m sorry you feel like that”. Ms Hodge’s grandmother and uncle were murdered in the Holocaust.

The confrontation came three hours after the party’s governing body decided to ignore the pleas of the Jewish community and sign-off on a new code of conduct on anti-Semitism which differed from the internationally recognised version created by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.'